Signal system



`une 21, 1960 M. PAULL SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed April 2. 1956 SIGNAL SYSTEM Melvin Paull, 8001 Rosiline Drive, St. Louis 5, Mo. Filed Apr. 2, 1956, Ser. No. 575,490

I 1 Claim. (Cl. 340-312) The present invention relates generally to electrical circuits, and more particularly to a novel signal system for conveying a predetermined sign or indication from remote stations to a central station;

Briefly, the present invention contemplates an .arrangement of electrical circuits including a plurality of push buttons, or the like, disposed at various selected locations remote from a central station. Each of the outlying stations is connected by wire tothe central station. The central station itself comprises a plurality of signaling devices generally responsive to any and all of the several push button stations, as well as a separate signaling device responsive to each individual push button station. Various controls are provided at the central station for maintaining a signaled condition with respect to remote stations until a manual response has'been made.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel signal system comprising a plurality of remote signaling stations connected to a central receiving station ina manner to maintain an attention attracting signal until a manual response has been made.

It is another object ofthe invention to provide a novel signal system comprising a plurality of remote signaling stations'connected to a central receiving station wherein actuation of any signaling station is effective to energize an "attracting `signal at the central station and at theY same time to indicate theY source of the signal.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel signal system comprising a plurality of remote signaling stations connected to' a central receiving station wherein actuation of any signaling station is effective to provide anfndication of the source of the signal and to maintain the indicating signal pending a manual response.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a novel signal system comprising a plurality of remote signaling stations connected to a central receiving station which is relatively simple to install and to maintain, which utilizes readily available electrical components in its make-up, and which is ecient in the fulfillment of its intended purpose.

The foregoing, along with additional objects and ad- As is Vapparent from the drawing, each of the push button switches 12 has an individual relay 22 and an individual push button switch 26 associated therewith. The complete circuit 10 thus comprises a plurality of operating sections each comprising one each of the aboveenumerated units. For convenience, the different sections are designatedNo. l, No. 2, No. 3, etc.

Each of the relays 22 is of the double pole, single throw type having one set of normally open contacts 36 and 38 disposed for cooperation with a pole 40 and anotherk set of normally open contacts 42 and 44 disposed for cooperation with a pole 46, it being understood, of course, that energization of the coil of any relay 22 causes the associated poles 40 and 46 to close upon their respective cooperating contacts. The contacts 36 and 42 of each relay 22 are interconnected by a respective lead 48, which is, in 'turn,`connected by a respective lead 50 to a common lead 52 connected to the same side ofthe powerl source 3-2 as the aforementioned lead vantages, will be apparent from the following ydescription of a specific embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

The single igure of the drawing depicts in schematic form a signal system arranged in conformance with the teachings of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the details of the drawing as indicated by reference characters, the numeral 10 y designates generally an electrical circuit conforming to the present invention. The circuit 10 includes a plurality Iof normally open push button switches 12, each connected by a lead 14 to a common power lead 16 and by a lead 18 to ,one side of a coil 20 of a respective relay 22. The other end of each coil 20 is connected by means of a respective lead 24, a normally closed push button switch 26, and a lead 28 to a common power lead 30 connected through a normally closed push button switch 31 to alead 32.

The leads16 and 32 are' connected to opposite sides of a conventional source of electrical power which preferably takes the form of a step-down transformer 33 con- An individual lamp 54 is connected in parallel with each coil 20by means of respective leads 56 and 58, the former being joined to the lead 18 and the latter being joined tothe lead 24. A lead 60 connects the contact l38 into the lead 56. Finally, each of the contacts 44 is connected by a respective lead 62 to a common lead 64.

A'signal lamp 66 and a conventional flasher 68 are connected in series between the aforementioned leads 30 and 64. The lead 64 is also connected by means of leads 70 and 72 to'contacts 74 and 76 of a double pole, single throw relay 78. The contact 74, along with a contact 79, while normallyv open, are engaged by a pole upon energizationof an actuating coil y82 of the relay 78.

Energization of the coil 82 is also elective to withdraw al pole 84 from a normally closed position relative to `the- Operation As previously mentioned, the circuit 10 is particularly adapted for use as a signal system wherein the several push button switches 12 are disposed at various points or stations remote vfrom a central station. The remaining operative elements `of the circuit 10,.including the relays 22, the lamps 54, the switches 26, and the several devices connected between the leads 64 and 30, are located at the central station. The power source 33 may, of course, be disposed at any convenient location as long as it is enabled `to provideappropriate electrical energy to the leads 16 and S2 on one side and the lead 30 on the other side. f

Since it is evident from the `drawing that for each'remote station .there is an individual push button 12, relay 22, lamp 54, and push button 26, and further, that the enumerated elements lassociated with each station are connected in identical arrangement, it will be necessary to describe the 4operation of only one of these identical units. Thus, restricting the following narrative to any 20 of the. relay 22, and at the same .time Jthrough lthe lead 56, theA lamp "54,Wand thelead 58, through the lead 24,`

throughqthe normally'closed switch26, and through the lead 42,8tand thefnorn'ially Vclosed switch 31 to the ener-l i gized lead 32. Clearly, ener-gzation of .the lamp 54 will cause this element to glow and energization of the coil 20 will cause the poles 40 vand 46 of .the relay 22 to close upon their associated contacts. A

When .the pole 40 closes upon the contacts 36 and 38, the kcontinuously energized lead 52 is connected by way of the leads 50 and 48, the now closed pole 40, and the lead 60 to the lead 56. From the lead 56, the circuit extends through the parallel coil 20 yand lamp 54 and on to the lead 30 as previously described. The closing of the pole 40 upon the contacts 36 and 38 `thus serves to maintain energization o-f the coil 20, as well as of the lamp S4, even lthough the instigating closure of the push button switch 1:2 be only momentary. When, ultimately, it is desired to deenergize the coil 20 and to extinguish the lamp 54, the circuit through these elements may be opened by actuation of the normally closed switch 26, whereupon the pole 40` will return to its normally open condition.

From the foregoing, it is clear that actuation of any selected push button switch 12 will cause a corresponding lamp 54 to glow and to continue to yglow until the manual response Tof operating the associated push button switch 26 is made.

The energization of any `of lthe .coils 20 of the relays 22 also causes the pole 46 associated therewith to close upon the contacts 42 and 44 so as to extend the energization of the lead 52 through the lead 50, the lead 48, the now closed contacts 42 .and 44, and .the lead 62 to- .the common lead y64. It is lfurther apparent that, upon its being once energized `as above described, the lcad 64 will 'remain energized as long as any one or more of the relays 22 remains in actuated condition.

Inasmuch as the switch 31 is of the normally closed type, the lead 30 will, for the mostpart, be continuously energized. Thus, since the lead 64 is connected through the ash'er 68 and the signal lamp 66 to the substantially continuously energized'lead 39, it is clear that the lamp 66 will flash on and off as long as any relay 22 remains in actuated condition so as to maintain energization of the lead`64. Also, any ini-tial energiz'ation of the lead 64 will be extended through the leads 70 and 76, the normally closed pole 84 of 'the relay 78, and the buzzer 92t'o the lead 30. Thus, the hashing of the lamp 66 will be, at least initially, .accompanied by sounding of the buzzer 92.

If, under certain circumstances, it should be desired to deenergize the buzzer 92 before the lead 64 will itself have beenV deenergiz'ed, `the normally open push button switch 88 may be momentarily actuated so as to complete a circuit yfrom the lenergized lead 64 through the now closed switch 88, the lead 90, .and the coil 82 of the relay 78 to the lead 30. This will result in the pole 84 of the relay 78 being withdrawn from the contacts 76 and 86 thereof so as to open the' circuit through the buzzer 92. At the same time, `the pole 80 will en-gage the contacts 74 and 79 so as to extend the energization of the lead 72 to the lead 90, and'hencerthrough the coil 82 back to the lead 30, thereby maintaining the relay 78 in actuated condition. It will be understood, however, that once the lead 64 is deener-gized, the relay 78 will also be decnergized sothat subsequent reenergization of the lead 64 will `again result in energization of the buzzer 92 along with .the signal lamp 66. p

From the foregoing description of operation, it is clear thatV there may be times when all circuits of the over-all circuit .10l are open and each of the several operative elements will be in deenergize'd condition. Subsequent actuation of any push button 12 will cause both the signal lamp 66 and the buzzer 92 to be energized so as to attract the attention of a nearby attendant either visibly' or audibly. The attendant needs only to observe the several lamps S4 in` order to ascertain which of the remote push buttons 12 hasV been actuaed. Lf the attendant then makes the manual response of actuating the proper push button 2,6, the `associated llamp 54 will be extinguished, as will also the lamp 66 and the buzzer 92.

If, on the other hand, another push lbutton 12 should be actuated before `the said manual response to the first such actuation has been' made, .the lamp 66 and buzzer 92 will remain energized, pending manual response as aforementioned to both of the signals received from the remote stations. If it should rbe desired to clear` the whole panel at once, suchV may be accomplished by momentary actuation of the switch 31.

Under conditions wherein one after another'of the lamps 54 is energized, the continuous sounding of .the buzzer 92 may become .annoying `to the attendant. He may cause its sound to cease by actuating the push but-4 ton switch 88. When, subsequently, all of the lamps 54 are extinguished and the attendant is thus enabled to divert his attention therefrom, .the buzzer 92 will sound again upon `the next actuation of a remote push button 12.

Clearly, .there has been described a signal system which fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given only by way of illustration and example. It is further to be understood .that changes in the -form of the elements, rearrangement of parts, or the substitution of equivalent elements, all of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art, are contemplated .as being within the scope of the` present invention, which is limited only 'by the claim which follow.

' What is claimed is:

ln an electric signal system, a central station, a plurality of normally open push button switches disposed at respectively different locations remote from said central station, an individual relay at said central station forv each remote .push button switch, each of said individual relays having an actuating coil connected in series with arespe'ctive remote push button switch, each of said individual relays having normally open contacts adapted to be closed upon energization of the associated actuating coil, individuall circuit means including an individual normally closed switch `for selectively completing energizing circuits through .the respective relay coils aforesaid upon actuation o'f appropriate remote push button switches and :for maintaining -energization of the coils through closure of the associated relay contacts, an individual lamp connected in parallel with each of said relay coils, a common circuit element connected to each set of relay contacts aforementioned so as to be energized during energization of any one or more ofthe relay coils, and signal means connected in circuit with said common circuit element so as .to be energized therewith, said signal means including a signalling device and selectively operable means for rendering vthe same temporarily inoperative, said latter means comprising .a normally open push button switch and a double' pole, single throw r'elay having one set of normally open contacts and one set of normally closed contacts, said latter relay having an actuating coil connected `for energization through the aforementioned .common circuit element initially upon actuation of the last mentioned normally open push button switch and subsequently through closure of said one set of normally open contacts, said signalling device beingA connected ,through said normally closed relay contacts to' said common circuit element.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,433,254 Aiken Dec. 23, 1947 2,539,206 Robinson Jan. 23, 1951 2,660,717 Hood Nov. 24, 1953 2,712,129 Marmorstone r June 28, 1955 p sonaron PATENTS 601,058V VGreat Britain nanna Apr. 27, 194sl 

